Our first day in Panama began with a lovely sunrise. The sun revealed a lush forest on the main island and several islets. We were eager to go on shore to visit the second largest coral reef of the Tropical Eastern Pacific realm.
Right after breakfast, we divided the group in two to explore the park. One group visited the ranger station, where kayaks and standup paddleboards were available for exploring the coastline. In the meantime, the other group visited Cocos Islet for the opportunity to snorkel.
We could have spent the whole day enjoying the park, but we returned to the ship to cruise a little over 190 nautical miles to get to the Panama Bay. We were all delighted when pods of pantropical dolphins began bow-riding National Geographic Quest. It was a special farewell. We left behind a lovely paradise, but memories of sharks, turtles, angelfish, and a variety of marine wildlife will remain with us.
